FCC chief: Airlines will make final call on cellphone use

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler tried Friday to tamp down the backlash against his agency’s proposal to look at relaxing the restrictions on cellphone use on planes — while saying the airlines will make the final call.

“We understand that many passengers would prefer that voice calls not be made on airplanes,” Wheeler said in a statement. “I feel that way myself. Ultimately, if the FCC adopts the proposal in the coming months, it will be airlines’ decisions, in consultation with their customers, as to whether to permit voice calls while airborne.”

Wheeler added that the FCC proposal “recognizes that there is no technical reason to prohibit mobile devices from interfacing with the onboard wireless data systems being installed on many aircraft. … There is nothing in the proposal that prohibits airlines from developing whatever in-flight phone usage policy they may wish.”

But that may not be enough to calm the pushback that began immediately after the FCC announced its proposal Thursday.

On Friday, Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) sent Wheeler a letter urging him to withdraw “this ill-advised proposal.” Among other issues, Begich said he was concerned about the potential for cellphone calls to cause “air rage” among passengers.

“The thought of having a constant cellphone yammering on every flight makes my head hurt,” added Begich, who serves on the Senate Commerce Committee, which oversees both the FAA and the FCC.

Opponents also launched a petition on the White House website asking the administration to block the proposal. The petitioner — identified as S.M. from Richmond, Va. — complains that the FCC has gone “TOO FAR,” and echoes a populist theme about the continuing degradation of the experience of air travel.

“During flights, passengers are forced into a restricted space, often for long periods of time. Forcing them to listen to the inane, loud, private, personal conversations of a stranger is perhaps the worst idea the FCC has come up with to date,” the person wrote, asking that the administration “nip this in the bud.”

The petition — which needs 100,000 signatures by Dec. 21 to get a response from the White House — had more than 1,200 signatures as of Friday evening.

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) told POLITICO on Thursday that he would consider offering a new version of a 2008 bill he sponsored that would have banned cellphone use for voice calls in flight, while allowing text messaging and email.

“Playing ‘Words with Friends’ is different than passengers having lengthy, loud ‘conversations with friends’ while in the tight, inescapable confines of an airline passenger cabin,” Markey said in a statement.

Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), chairman of the House Communications and Technology Subcommittee, said the news about the FCC proposal left him “concerned to say the least,” even though “expanding mobile and broadband opportunities for consumers has long been a goal” of the panel.

“This will surely be a spirited topic of discussion when we welcome all five commissioners at our oversight hearing next month,” Walden said.

Airlines have expressed mixed views on the proposal.

Delta Air Lines said Thursday that it would continue banning cellphone calls even if the FCC allows it, citing strong opposition by customers who have been surveyed on the issue. Almost as quickly, JetBlue said it would be open to exploring allowing the calls while saying it wants to make flights “comfortable and welcoming for all.”

Other airlines, such as Southwest, were taking a wait-and-see approach Friday.

“The ability to use electronic items which access cellular data networks remains off the table and our customers have told us that in-flight voice communication would be disruptive,” Southwest spokesman Brad Hawkins wrote in an email. “We continue to monitor feedback on this topic from our customers and would consider it should the FCC make any rule changes.”

Alaska Airlines, American and United issued statements similar to Southwest’s. And the U.S. Travel Association issued a hold-your-horses statement.

“We should also carefully consider whether allowing open cellphone conversations during flights truly enhances the passenger experience,” U.S. Travel CEO Roger Dow said. “Personally, I have my doubts that the traveling public will wholeheartedly embrace this, but we should be abundantly clear on whether or not that’s true before this policy is allowed to proceed.”

Wheeler has scheduled a vote on a notice of proposed rulemaking on the issue for the agency’s Dec. 12 open meeting. The notice is a first step in the process, and much remains unanswered about how the change will be developed if it goes forward.

A former FCC official, now in private practice, said the commission probably should have rolled the proposal out in a different way, considering that Wheeler’s first comments were an oblique reference to “mobile broadband,” with no explanation that enabling voice communications would also be included in the review.

“The chairman of the FCC is brand new so I suspect that everyone thought — I know the staff definitely thought — that this would be very well-received and sort of a feel-good, ‘let’s get things off to a really good start’ kind of a draft,” the former FCC source said. “But it was not rolled out in a comprehensive way, and it really should’ve been.”

Still, the FCC source said there will be plenty of time for gathering comments. “Lightning speed for bringing a rulemaking to conclusion is a year. So this is a ways away.”

San Luis Coastal district may spend $1.1M for Wi-Fi at elementary campuses

BY ANNMARIE CORNEJO

acornejo@thetribunenews.comNovember 23, 2013

Elementary schools in San Luis Coastal Unified School District will be outfitted with the infrastructure needed to support Wi-Fi in classrooms—at a significant cost.

The price tag of equipping the district’s 10 elementary schools with what is needed for students to have wireless access to the internet on laptop computers and other devices in classrooms will likely cost more than $1.1 million. The school board voted unanimously Tuesday for the district to pursue the project.

The decision aligns with the district’s goal of adding more technology to classrooms. The board recently voted in favor of looking for a way to provide one-on-one technology devices, such as netbooks or tablets, to students in third through sixth grades at all schools. However, that can’t be done until equipment is installed to allow wireless internet access, or Wi-Fi.

“Overall, what people need to understand is this allows for wiring to take place in each classroom so that we are prepared for the future,” said Kim McGrath, director of learning achievement and innovation and technology. “Right now teachers, administrators, parents and students are hungering for progress when it comes to technology.”

Elementary schools are now at the limit of what the existing infrastructure can handle, McGrath said. The cost for each elementary school is estimated to be $75,000 for infrastructure, $50,000 for hardware such as fiber, switches and other controllers and $45,000 for construction costs, said McGrath.

San Luis Coastal installed Wi-Fi at Laguna Middle School and Los Osos Middle School last year. In Los Osos, all sixth-grade students are using one-on-one devices and money has been budgeted to provide tablets or netbooks for all students at the middle school within the next two years. The district’s two high schools, San Luis High and Morro Bay High, have Wi-Fi hot spots on campus.

“In this current situation, the lack of Wi-Fi is holding back elementary sites from making the progress toward 21st century skills they desire,” according to a staff report presented to the school board.

In Lucia Mar Unified School District, the county’s largest school district, many of the elementary schools have Wi-Fi. The school board there approved $751,000 in technology improvements with one-time funding provided by Common Core State Standards funding, said Amy Jacobs, district spokeswoman.

“We anticipate all schools having some amount of Wi-Fi by the start of next school year,” Jacobs said.

The San Luis Coastal school board will be asked to approve bids to move forward with construction at a future meeting. The goal, said McGrath, is to have Wi-Fi installed by the start of next school year.

Are you attached to your digital devices? If the thought of being disconnected makes you sweat, you're not alone. Americans are spending more time than ever with their screens, logging an average of more than five hours per day.

So how do you curb your addiction? Whether you're addicted to Facebook ("That status only got eight likes?!") or you can't stop scrolling during dinner ("Did you see Kim Kardashian's tweet?") there comes a time when you need to take a smartphone sabbatical. Below find the 19 telltale signs you need to unplug.

1. You're experiencing blurred vision.Are your eyes fading out on you? It may be more than a natural regression -- you could be doing it to yourself. According to a 2011 study, all the squinting we do at our screens is taking a serious toll on our eyes. Approximately 90 percent of people who stare at digital devices for more than two hours per day experience complex eye problems, including blurred vision and dry eyes.

2. Phone panic is a very real thing.

Whether it's doing the frantic purse fumble when your phone is not in its right pocket or just forgetting it altogether, you've experienced the heart-stopping horror of what it's like without your device -- and it's not pretty. The thought of being disconnected for an extended period of time would cause 73 percent of Americans to feel panicked, according to a 2012 study.

3. You're working after hours.

If you find yourself checking emails after dinner or at your cousin's wedding, it might be time for a little digital detox. According to a 2012 survey conducted by Good Technology, approximately 80 percent of Americans admit working beyond their normal hours. And if you think you're just sending a quick email or taking phone call here and there, think again. In the end, workers spend an average of seven hours per week doing work outside of the office -- almost a full extra workday.

4. You have a pounding headache.In addition to causing eye strain, too much screen use can also result in headachesand fatigue. And that's not the only effect our digital device has on our brains. According to one study, smartphones may even be causing "digital dementia," which creates cognitive issues and short-term memory loss.

5. You have no idea how to get to basic places without Google maps.

6. Your sleep is suffering.If your device has a spot next to you on the pillow, you may want to re-think your phone habits -- it could be sabotaging your sleep. Studies have found that prolonged exposure to cell phones right before bed makes it harder for users to fall asleep and creates a fitful night's rest. Not to mention there's always the temptation of checking your notifications right before you shut your eyes. If you're having trouble getting your recommended amount of sleep, try disconnecting from your phone before you settle down for the night.

7. You hear phantom vibrations.

If you've felt your phone vibrate, only to reach for it and discover that it wasn't, you aren't alone. In fact, the sensation so common, it started gaining attention from the medical community. In a 2012 study published in Computers of Human Behavior, researchers found that Phantom Vibration Syndrome is a phenomenon experienced by a large portion of young adults approximately once every two weeks. The study also suggested that those who were bothered by it showed symptoms of text-message dependency -- a sign that it may be time to unplug.

8. "LOL" and "hashtag" are part of your vocabulary.

Have fun weekend plans? Hashtag excitement. If you really say hashtag, LOL, BRB or any other internet-lingo in actual conversation, it might be time to put down the phone.

9. Your hand looks like this.

While text claw isn't a medical diagnosis, the position of a smartphone can cause cramping and soreness in the hands and fingers. If you find that you need to do some stretching after logging some time with your phone, it might be time to disconnect.

10. You text someone when they're in the other room (or right next to you).

11. When you go into the bathroom, so does your phone.If you take your phone with you everywhere -- including the bathroom or the bedroom -- it might be time for a little digital intervention. According to a recentHuffPost/Yougov survey, approximately half of smartphone users ages 18 to 29 bring their phones into the bathroom stall. A study commissioned by smartphone-maker LG Electronics also found that 77 percent of Americans would use their smartphones while they're in bed with someone else.

12. You're Instagramming your food more than eating it.

Currently there are more than 5 million photos tagged of food on Instagram -- and that time you spend sharing your meal with your social network instead of who's in front of you may be hurting your relationships. Studies conducted by the University of Essex found that if a phone is visible during a conversation in a close setting it causes people to feel less-positive toward the people they're chatting with.

13. You've forgotten how to maintain eye contact.Human-to-human eye contact is decreasing, and our technology may be to blame. According to communications analytics company Quantified Impressions, adults make eye contact between 30 to 60 percent of the time during a regular conversation. That number may sound decent, but in order to establish an emotional connection, eye contact must be made during 60 to 70 percent of the communication. If you find yourself feeling the need to look down at your phone during an interaction with someone else, it's time to ditch the device for a little while.

14. You haven't talked to someone in three months, but you know all the news thanks to your social networks.

15. You find yourself thinking in 140 characters.Admit it: One of the first things you thought about when you landed that job was how you're going to share it on Facebook. And when you awkwardly found yourself sitting next to a couple arguing on the train, you had tweet about it. Oversharing is a frequent issue on social media -- and it can have a negative impact on your relationships, so think twice before you post.

16. The last phone number you memorized was 10 years ago.

17. You have poor posture.That shoulder slump you're feeling could be because of your smartphone habits. When we type on our devices, our bodies automatically lead forward, causing strain on our necks and backs, according to orthopedic surgeon Dr. Alton Barron. The muscles in our bodies accommodate for our natural position, causing pain and posture problems.

18. You lose awareness of your surroundings.

Research shows that it's nearly impossible for the human brain to multitask -- and texting while trying to do something else is no exception. If you're in a frequent habit of texting and driving (which is banned in some states), texting and working or even texting and walking, it's time to take a break and focus on one thing at a time.

The cities of Boston and Philadelphia have essentially accused the Federal Government of negligence in its failure to investigate the health effects of cell phone radiation on those who suffer from electrosmog illnesses which they call electrosensitivity. They say the FCC was supposed to do this 13 years ago, but has yet to open an inquiry.

I featured this in my KAHI radio interview today and my most recent post on my SaferEMR web site.

B.C. businesses join fight against smart meters

KATELYN VERSTRATEN

Vancouver — The Globe and Mail

Published Friday, Nov. 22 2013, 10:00 AM EST

Last updated Friday, Nov. 22 2013, 10:00 AM EST

The battle against BC Hydro’s smart meter installation has grown, as commercial business owners say they want to join the legal fight residential utility customers are already waging to block the technology.

Jessica Klein and her husband Joe own Homestead Certified Organic Farm, located in the Okanagan community of Peachland. This week, Ms. Klein became the representative for commercial businesses who are against mandatory smart meter installation.

“Doctors, dentists offices, chiropractors offices, and hotels have contacted me,” said Ms. Klein. “They are supportive and willing to contribute.”

The group Citizens for Safer Technology is representing Ms. Klein. They filed the expanded class-action lawsuit this week against BC Hydro.

The group hopes to add BC Hydro’s commercial customers to the lawsuit that currently exists only for residential customers.

In July 2013 Nomi Davis, a yoga instructor from Salt Spring Island, B.C., launched the original class-action lawsuit against BC Hydro. She claimed BC Hydro installed a smart meter at her residence despite her refusal.

This caused Ms. Davis “emotional distress” by disrupting “the integrity of the space as a sanctuary for meditation, peace of mind and resonate attunement,” said court documents.

Ms. Klein’s lawsuit is an expansion of this case.

She and her husband live on their farm, which BC Hydro considers a commercial business. They have the option to opt-out of the smart meter on their residence, but not on the farm, said Ms. Klein.

“We are saying we don’t want a smart meter anywhere on our property, period,” she said. “It rearranges our molecules and it’s not good for us.”

BC Hydro said it would keep trying to install a smart meter, and for every time they had to try they would be billed $65 as a punitive measure, according to Ms. Klein.

Smart meters measure power consumption, and then send the information back to BC Hydro using wireless signals.

BC Hydro has said smart meters only broadcast several times a day, and that after living next to a smart meter for 20 years a person would have been exposed to the same amount of radiation as a cell phone call.

But Citizens for Safer Technology supporters have claimed the meters emit radiation that has serious consequences to health.

“Our opinion on the health concerns really differs to BC Hydro,” said Ms. Klein. “There are thousands of studies pointing to health problems. We’ve really done our best on our organic farm to mitigate all of the harmful problems that there are, and it’s really upsetting that as taxpayers, they didn’t give us the choice.”

BC Hydro has said they have no plans to stop using smart meters. In the past, the B.C. Utilities Commission and B.C. Court of Appeal have denied attempts to force Hydro to stop installing smart meters.

The court still has to accept and certify the expanded case before it moves forward, said Ms. Klein. This has not deterred her.

“There’s at least 60,000 households in British Columbia that have resisted,” said Ms. Klein. “There might be more than that, we don’t know. We have to stay strong, not be intimidated, and really support each other and work with each other.”

DoT doubles penalty for radiation rule violation to Rs.10 lakh

The Department of Telecom has doubled penalty provision to Rs. 10 lakh on companies whose mobile towers will be found violating radiation emission levels.At the same time the department slashed upper penalty limit in the case of paper work related issues, mainly late submissions of certificates on complying with norms for setting up mobile towers, by 90%."In case of

non-compliance of actual EMF (electromagnetic field) radiation norms, a penalty of Rs. 10 lakh per base transceiver stations (BTS) per incidence shall be imposed," a DoT circular issued on November 20 said.Earlier the maximum penalty for any violation related to radiation rules was Rs.

5 lakh.Under the new penalty slabs, a maximum of Rs. 50,000 fine will be imposed for delays in submission of the 'self-certified' documents on norms, especially those pertaining to radiation emission.Even in paper related issues, DoT had earlier imposed a maximum penalty of Rs. 5 lakh even for minor issues.As per industry estimates, DoT has levied penalty of Rs. 1,900 crore as on middle of 2013, for violation of rules related to mobile towers and of the total only 1.2%related to violation of radiation level. About 64 % of this was document related to issues.According to the new penalty slabs, telecom companies will have to submit compliance certificate within 15 days of switching on a mobile tower.In case a company fails to abide by the deadline, it will have to pay Rs. 5,000, Rs. 20,000 for 15-30 days andRs. 50,000 for delay up to 60 days. The tower will have to be shut down in case the company fails to submit the certificate after the two-month period.Similar, a penalty slab had been proposed for late submission of self-certificates in case of upgradation of mobile towers.Under the new rules proposed, telecom operators may be asked to submit self-certificate for all installed mobile towers by March 2015.The DoT has given time till December 31, 2013 for re-submission of self certificate as per new norms by those companies who have already submitted their documents.In case of failure to adhere to deadline, a penalty of Rs. 5,000 may be imposed on telecom companies if the delay is up to 30 days, Rs. 20,000 for delay between 30 to 60 days and Rs. 50,000 for delay up to 90 days. The companies will have to shut down their mobile tower if they fail to submit self-certificate of compliance within 90 days.Telecom minister Kapil Sibal in a meeting a few months ago had asked DoT to relax penalties for paper submission related issues but increase penalty if companies violate radiation levels.

When the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission unveiled a proposal this week to allow cellphone calls and Internet service during airline flights, he said it was time to reevaluate an “outdated and restrictive” ban.

He added that a revision to 20-year-old rules would “expand consumer access and choice for in-flight mobile broadband.”

Now, after fierce criticism from consumers, airline employee unions and lawmakers, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler appears to be distancing himself from the plan, observers say.

Wheeler said in a statement Friday that the FCC merely approves the technical specifications of using cellphone service on planes. The airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration, he said, will ultimately decide if they want to unleash phone conversation in airline cabins.

In fact, the newly appointed head of the FCC said he doesn’t even like the idea of chattering from airline seat mates.

“We understand that many passengers would prefer that voice calls not be made on airplanes. I feel that way myself,” said Wheeler, just three weeks into his chairmanship.

The former head lobbyist of wireless and cable industry trade groups added: “Ultimately, if the FCC adopts the proposal in the coming months, it will be airlines’ decisions, in consultation with their customers, as to whether to permit voice calls while airborne.”

But airline industry experts and the flight attendants’ union said they view the FCC chairman’s decision to introduce the proposal as his tacit endorsement of the plan. And they disagree with the notion that the agency is simply considering technical specifications. Eight years ago, the FCC scrapped a similar proposal after strong protests by flight attendants and consumers.

“The FCC is the last stop; they are the ones with jurisdiction over airwaves and they are the ones that ultimately hold the ban,” said Corey Caldwell, a spokeswoman for the union, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA.

“The FCC was the only thing holding up cellphone calls,” said John E. Discala, a travel industry writer who has followed the debate about online communications for his blog. “Not all airlines will want to allow phone calling, but it’s another source of revenue for them. Imagine selling sections for more that are quiet zones.”

But the FCC said the chairman doesn’t necessarily endorse the proposal, which will come under consideration at an agency meeting next month. The idea of revising the in-flight cellphone rules began before Wheeler’s arrival, according to officials. The agency wanted to change the rules because technology has improved to make in-flight communications safer. European airlines have implemented cellular services in planes and have proved it can be safe, the agency said.

“It does not mean the Commission has endorsed phone calls from airplanes,” the FCC said in a fact sheet released Friday. “The FCC is considering whether advances in technology no longer warrant — on a technological basis — the prohibition of in-flight mobile phone use. This is purely a technical decision.”

It’s unclear whether the five-member panel will vote to proceed with the proposal next month. The FCC has been inundated with e-mails from consumers asking the agency to reconsider. In a poll on The Washington Post Web site, 91 percent of 1,700 respondents said they were against the idea of phone calls on airplanes.

Follow The Post’s new tech blog, The Switch, where technology and policy connect.

The use of antidepressants has surged across the rich world over the past decade, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, raising concerns among doctors that pills are being overprescribed.

Figures show that doctors in some countries are writing prescriptions for more than one in 10 adults, with Iceland, Australia, Canada and the other European Nordic countries leading the way.

Separate data from the US shows that more than 10% of American adults use the medication. In China, the antidepressant market has grown by about 20% for each of the past three years, albeit from a lower base.

Global rates of depression have not risen to the same extent, even though more people are being diagnosed in some countries.

In its Health at a Glance report to be released on Thursday , the OECD said that rising consumption levels could be explained by the use of antidepressants in milder cases. "These extensions have raised concerns about appropriateness," it said.

It added that the financial crisis may have been a factor in more recent increases in usage, noting that in Spain and Portugal, for example, antidepressant prescriptions have jumped by more than 20% over the past five years.

Most psychiatrists agree that antidepressants work for people with severe illness but are not supposed to be the first resort for those with mild depression. Counselling and talking therapies, such as cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), are recognised as just as effective over the long term. But counselling is in short supply in many countries.

"We know that antidepressants work for moderate to severe depression," said Dr Mark van Ommeren, of the World Health Organisation's department of mental health and substance abuse. "The explosion of antidepressants you see in most countries reflects the fact that lots of people with moderate to severe depression are getting treatment – that's a good thing.

"But the negative thing is that a lot of people are getting antidepressants who shouldn't be getting them. Doctors and healthcare providers should be able to recognise depression correctly so that those who need antidepressants get them and those with only mild cases do not get prescribed."

The modern antidepressants known as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), such as Prozac, took off in the 1990s and gained almost cult status with the publication of Elizabeth Wurtzel's book Prozac Nation in 1994.

Doctors were happier to prescribe them because they did not have the addictive properties or side-effects of pills such as benzodiazepines. But the bubble seemed to burst within a few years, with stories of some, particularly younger, people attempting suicide while on the drugs. Some companies paid large sums to settle court cases in the US and UK doctors were warned in 2003 not to prescribe them to the under-18s.

But the issues around the various medications do not seem to have affected the long-term upward trend. The OECD figures show Iceland to have the highest prescribing rate, at 105.8 doses a day for every 1,000 inhabitants in 2011, up from 70.9 in 2000 and 14.9 in 1989, when it first submitted figures.

Three countries have figures in the 80s in 2011 – Australia, up from 45.4 in 2000 to 88.9 in 2011; Canada, up from 75 in 2007, when it first submitted figures, to 85.9 and Denmark, up from 34.8 to 85.2. The lowest rate in 2011 was in Chile, where 12.8 daily doses were prescribed for every 1,000 inhabitants. In the UK, rates have roughly doubled over the past decade to 70.7 for every 1,000 people.

Most experts say that antidepressants are over-prescribed for some people but underused in others. "Antidepressants are widely oversubscribed to get rid of unhappiness," said Professor Tim Cantopher, consultant psychiatrist with the Priory Group in the UK. "They were not designed for that. Unhappiness is part of the human condition. But real clinical depression does respond to antidepressants. And not to prescribe in these cases is to sentence an individual to a far longer illness than he or she need suffer."

Harvey Whiteford, Kratzmann professor of psychiatry and population health at the University of Queensland, Australia, said depression was very common and was the second leading cause of health-related disability. But in most OECD countries, he said, only about 50-60% of those suffering from depression got treatment, although the rates were increasing.

The sort of treatment people needed varied according to their illness, he said. "There is good evidence that only major depression is likely to respond to antidepressants and other forms of depression much less so."

Primary care physicians tend to prescribe drugs rather than CBT, although some countries, including the UK and Australia, have initiatives intended to increase the availability of counselling.

Whiteford said: "My view is that antidepressants are often prescribed for the increasing numbers of people now coming to treatment for depression (including mild to moderate forms of depression) where CBT would be the better treatment. Thus, the prescribing rates are going up and some of this prescribing would be for types of depression better treated non-pharmacologically."

A Better Access scheme, which subsidised CBT for common mental disorders, increased treatment rates in Australia from 37% in 2006-07 to 46% in 2009-10, Whiteford said. "To get access to psychologists for CBT under the scheme required referral from a GP who made the diagnosis and ruled out medical causes for the anxiety and depression. We hoped this would decrease the prescribing rates of medication with referral to a psychologist being substituted as first-line treatment for mild to moderate disorders. However, what seems to have happened is that most GPs prescribed and referred for CBT."

Professor Tim Kendall, director of the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health in the UK, said he doubted whether the rise of antidepressant prescription was a result of better recognition of depression in so many countries. "It's much more likely a testament to the effective marketing by the pharmaceutical industry," he said. "I also wonder if, in better-off countries, which OECD countries are, we don't have time to be depressed and seek chemical solutions to 'get rid of it'."

Dr Jordi Alonso, director of the programme of epidemiology and public health at the IMIM-Institut de Recerca hospital del Mar in Barcelona, Spain, said: "In my opinion, one major issue is that GPs have become familiar with the indications and results of antidepressants. Possible explanations of this fact are the time elapsed since new SSRIs were available and of course, the dissemination and publicity about their efficacy – with the lead of the companies who have produced them."

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About Me

While I have always been extremely health conscious and am presently in excellent health, I did become temporarily out-of-commission (i.e. I was really sick) in 2005 with a number of at the time unexplainable symptoms. I was quite puzzled at the time because I had been eating mainly organically grown food, drinking spring water, doing Yoga every morning, and going to the gym several times a week. In other words, I was doing everything one is supposed to do to stay healthy. I was not supposed to get sick. It took me six months before discovering or even imagining the main source of the problem - which was in fact "overexposure to electromagnetic" - especially microwave - radiation. I was living within 200 meters of two cell phone towers at the time and within 500 meters of a 3rd one with numerous WiFi signals bleeding into my apartment from adjacent neighbors. I developed a host of symptoms, which are found in what has been misleadingly described as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) -- but much more accurately described as Radio Wave or Microwave Sickness. Large numbers of people in the USA suddenly started getting sick in 1984...